The kitchen lab

Why a Kitchen Lab?

Up until recently, food entrepreneurs interested in producing value-added food products for retail outside of the large business scale were limited to two options: one, building a fully equipped and certified kitchen space, or two, renting certified kitchen space to produce product. Incubator kitchens, while helpful for food businesses who already have done extensive recipe and product development, do not offer risk-free spaces for experimentation, demonstration, training, and education.

Therefore, CRAFT has developed a Kitchen Lab as an integral part of our mission. The Kitchen Lab provides a multidimensional approach for the growth of food businesses in Southwest Pennsylvania, specifically targeting entrepreneurs, community members, and students before they enter the world of incubator, commissary, and built out kitchens.

Through hands-on trainings and workshops on recipe development, food safety, packaging design, market research, and more, we will use the Kitchen Lab to train the next generation of food entrepreneurs.

kitchen lab Capabilities:

Product Development: Working with students, community members, and businesses to design and develop new food products

Trainings and Curriculum: Formal trainings, workshops, and webinars about a variety of topics, including food safety, sourdough, chocolate, and more!

Collaborative Design: Working with product designers, interior designers, and students to create meaningful products, spaces, and packages

"Maker in Residence" Program: Visiting chefs, artists, and producers from our region and from others, working with our community to share their expertise